Using humour to communicate threatening information in advertising has often been observed in practice, but seldom been tested in research. View Summary

Using humour to communicate threatening information in advertising has often been observed in practice, but seldom been tested in research. Integrating the humour and threat persuasion literature, the current research tested the effects of humorous threat persuasion and need for cognition (NFC) as a measure of one's processing motivation and capacity. A significant three-way interaction between humour, threat level and NFC emerged where low-NFC participants responded more positively to the no-humour condition than the humour condition with low threat, and more positively to the humour condition than the no-humour condition in the high-threat advertisement. The opposite was observed for high-NFC participants. Implications for both theory and practice are provided.

5

Walgreens: Balance rewards

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MMA Smarties, Silver, MMA Smarties, 2014

This case study describes how US drugstore chain Walgreens boosted share of voice and enrolment in its new Balance Rewards consumer loyalty programme by connecting with individuals via their fitness devices and applications. View Summary

This case study describes how US drugstore chain Walgreens boosted share of voice and enrolment in its new Balance Rewards consumer loyalty programme by connecting with individuals via their fitness devices and applications.

Walgreens' main competitors already have long-established loyalty programmes; to compete with them Walgreens needed to think and act differently.

Its strategy was to engage people who would either feel more connected with the brand when learning about new ways to earn, or find the programme easy to use given their adoption of fitness technologies.

The mobile component was a focal point of the campaign, allowing Walgreens to showcase its innovative and member-centric offering, and enabling it to connect with its targeted demographic of active users.

The campaign had a significant impact, helping to boost enrolment and SOV, while seeing membership rise to over 100 million and the figure for devices or applications connected exceed 200,000.

This case study describes how F Hoffmann-La Roche, the pharmaceuticals company, raised awareness of breast cancer by negotiating Vietnamese taboos and encouraging women to talk to their close friends and family. View Summary

This case study describes how F Hoffmann-La Roche, the pharmaceuticals company, raised awareness of breast cancer by negotiating Vietnamese taboos and encouraging women to talk to their close friends and family.

In Vietnam, breast cancer is a public-health problem, with 12,000 women diagnosed annually, but most are detected and treated at late stages, which leads to a low cure rate and high mortality rate.

However, no one wanted to talk about this issue given the social taboo around such a sensitive topic as breast cancer.

But, based on the insight that women are actually willing to discuss this topic with their close friends and family members, a movement called 'We Care for Her' was created to give people a nudge to talk about breast cancer.

The campaign successfully generated strong interest and involvement in the conversation around breast cancer, as measured by a high level of talkability, engagement, social sharing and participation in breast-screening activities.

7

How Nature's Bounty built up O2O loop in the Chinese market

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Nancy Huang , Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2014

This case study shows how Nature's Bounty, a new nutritional supplements brand in China faced with a competitive healthcare product environment and little budget, built significant brand loyalty. View Summary

This case study shows how Nature's Bounty, a new nutritional supplements brand in China faced with a competitive healthcare product environment and little budget, built significant brand loyalty.

The target audience was wealthy females aged over 25 - and research revealed celebrity endorsements and imported brands particularly appealed to this segment.

Tang Wei, the actress, was recruited as the spokesperson for the brand, and the brand launched it's 'Natural Beauty Hunting' campaign.

This campaign involved TV, outdoor and digital ads, and were based around the concept of natural beauty - for example, featuring a makeup-free selfie of Tang Wei.

Post-campaign, year-on-year sales growth hit 52%.

8

Creating an inspirational environment in B2B: How dentists get inspired from hairdressers and clams

This paper describes a research project led within German-speaking countries to generate new ideas for dental cementation ('fillings'), taking inspiration from the approach to NPD and innovation of other industries. View Summary

This paper describes a research project led within German-speaking countries to generate new ideas for dental cementation ('fillings'), taking inspiration from the approach to NPD and innovation of other industries.

Stage one used social media for a process of worldwide brainstorming of ideas among people doing dental cementation.

Stage two involved experts sharing their experience of cementation in focus groups, developing new ideas together with internal professionals.

Stage three employed a standardised questionnaire, in which five new ideas were evaluated by professionals for feasibility and potential.

Finally, selected experts followed up on the development process in an online community by delivering ideas for improvement.

This Australian case study describes how OPSM, the eyecare company, responded to the growth of a competitor by accessing a stream of un-tapped customers with a mobile app. View Summary

This Australian case study describes how OPSM, the eyecare company, responded to the growth of a competitor by accessing a stream of un-tapped customers with a mobile app.

The company was the market leader until the introduction of Specsavers in Australia, which lowered price points and gained a dominant share of voice.

OPSM tackled this by finding a new pool of customers: people who had vision problems but didn't realise it.

A mobile app with a simple vision test alerted people that their sight may not be normal, with the facility to easily book a full vision test.

10

Brands, Health and Wellness: Your Health, Yourself

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WPP Atticus Awards, Highly Commended, Corporate, 2013

This article examines how brands can help consumers make use of personal data to manage their health and wellbeing. View Summary

This article examines how brands can help consumers make use of personal data to manage their health and wellbeing.

Having access to more personal health information can help people to fully understand and appreciate the risks and rewards of our daily behaviours and change them accordingly.

There are also potential drawbacks, including the disappointment of missing out on goals, pressure over sharing results, an inability to analyse the data and privacy concerns over opening up more personal data.

Specific recommendations for personalised health programmes are determined by looking into five key areas - fitness, nutrition, adherence, over-the-counter (OTC) and personalised medicine - through the eyes of a typical consumer in Europe.

11

Novartis gets to grips with social media

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, Social Media World Forum, May 2014

This event report sets out how Novartis, the pharma giant, has progressed on social media in an industry subject to tight regulation and considerable scrutiny. View Summary

This event report sets out how Novartis, the pharma giant, has progressed on social media in an industry subject to tight regulation and considerable scrutiny.

Given the tough punishments awaiting pharma companies that make errors in the social space, many firms have been hesitant to leverage this channel.

As doctors, patients and other healthcare stakeholders are very active on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, Novartis is keen to tap these platforms.

Developing a clear set of guidelines covering the posts made by employees, business units, brands and teams in separate markets has been vital.

Educating staff about legal and corporate standards on social sites has been a key step for the firm.

Looking forward, Novartis expects to appoint increasingly specialist staff to handle specific social sites, reflecting the nuanced role each platform now plays.

12

Why pharma brands need to provide services as well as products

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ePharma Summit, February 2014

This report looks at how pharmaceutical companies can go beyond their products and provide further services to their customers as well, which will allow for greater differentiation from competitors. View Summary

This report looks at how pharmaceutical companies can go beyond their products and provide further services to their customers as well, which will allow for greater differentiation from competitors. Providing the "pill-plus-service" is an appropriate fit as customers come to pharma products looking for solutions to their problems. Also, by providing health advice when individuals are fit and well will allow companies to expand their range of activity. This is supported by research that shows that American consumers are now using digital tools to not just find information, but to manage day-to-day aspects of personal care.

13

Pharma brands and the multichannel marketing imperative

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ePharma Summit, February 2014

This event report explains how the pharmaceuticals industry can learn from other industries when seeking to understand patients. View Summary

This event report explains how the pharmaceuticals industry can learn from other industries when seeking to understand patients. Too often pharmaceutical companies have a project-based view of marketing, focussing on the latest innovation rather than adopting an integrated long-term strategy. A reluctance to form partnerships is evident, with companies desiring to keep competencies in-house. This also leads to neglect of different patient research techniques which other industries, such as the gaming industry, could be valuable in informing. Too often pharmaceuticals companies rely on reported behaviour or focus groups, which are vulnerable to mis-reporting.

14

Let's go game!: Borders of advantages and gains for gamification compared to in-depth-interviews

This paper addresses gamification versus the traditional qualitative approach. Gamification is normally associated with technological tools and there is little guidance on its use regarding face-to-face qualitative surveys. View Summary

This paper addresses gamification versus the traditional qualitative approach. Gamification is normally associated with technological tools and there is little guidance on its use regarding face-to-face qualitative surveys. Techniques and findings of differences between gamification and traditional qualitative approaches are presented to support future decisions on the most appropriate and effective methodology. It is recommended as providing a friendly environment for participants to let down purportedly formal assumptions.

15

Uncompromising intimacy - The route to transformational ideas: Getting up close and personal to unlock a company's potential for transforming healthcare

This paper explains how research was used to identify key target groups for a new product by 23andMe, a low-cost personal DNA service company. View Summary

This paper explains how research was used to identify key target groups for a new product by 23andMe, a low-cost personal DNA service company. The company is set on empowering individuals to make better health decisions and building a DNA database to accelerate scientific discoveries and improve global health. However most people are still unaware of the service and DNA testing is rich in misperceptions and concerns. The research created intimacy in order to understand why existing customers had used the company's service and how it had impacted on them. This research led to the creation of an advertising campaign which focussed on giving consumers simple information about DNA testing in general and 23andMe's service, and sought to normalise DNA testing.

This case study describes a campaign by Bupa, the healthcare group, which sought to convince politicians in Australia of the benefits of working with the company on aged care reforms. View Summary

This case study describes a campaign by Bupa, the healthcare group, which sought to convince politicians in Australia of the benefits of working with the company on aged care reforms.

The government had proposed a series of reforms to aged care which Bupa opposed, arguing that the present system could work and that the company should be properly consulted to develop the aged care policy.

Direct mail was used to target 42 MPs with a personalised video inviting them to visit an aged care home in their constituency.

An online campaign was also created, with a dynamic video petition fed from Facebook.

This approach led to Bupa being invited into policy discussions, and policy reform that was more sympathetic to the company's view.

This case study describes how EmblemHealth, a health insurance provider in New York, used direct mail to invite labour union administrators to make an appointment to discuss a new program. View Summary

This case study describes how EmblemHealth, a health insurance provider in New York, used direct mail to invite labour union administrators to make an appointment to discuss a new program.

The program had been designed specifically for labour unions, to help them reduce costs, and had a specific target audience that was already known to the sales team.

The challenge of the campaign was to persuade the target group that this product was worth their attention, within legal constraints around gift-giving.

The direct mail solution was tailored to the focus of each union and sought to connect the office based administrators with their blue collar members through nostalgia.

This case study describes a campaign by the Health Protection Board (HPB) of Singapore to raise awareness of colorectal cancer. View Summary

This case study describes a campaign by the Health Protection Board (HPB) of Singapore to raise awareness of colorectal cancer.

The campaign utilised a relaxed and humourous approach to the issue to educate people about the importance of annual screening.

It overcame the challenges of a difficult target group (people aged 50 and above) and a difficult subject, to successfully raise awareness of colorectal cancer and screening.

The campaign also succeeded in increasing take up of screening.

19

Gilead: Beyond HIV

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David Cousins and Stuart Black, The Communications Council, Silver, Australian Effie Awards, 2013

This case study discusses a campaign from Gilead, a pharmaceuticals company, to help increase the market share of a new HIV treatment in Australia. View Summary

This case study discusses a campaign from Gilead, a pharmaceuticals company, to help increase the market share of a new HIV treatment in Australia.

Following a successful product launch, the campaign's aim was to change the prescribing behaviour of doctors.

A multi-layered digital selling platform was developed to engage doctors with the challenges of HIV and the way the product could help.

The platform allowed the circumstances of individual patients to be assessed and create a risk assessment, showing the effect of the new medication on those risks.

The result of the campaign was increased sales.

20

Aetna goes mobile to personalize healthcare

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, CE Week, June 2013

This event report from CE (Consumer Electronics) Week covers an address by Martha Wofford of Aetna, the American insurance provider, about how consumers are increasingly using mobile health tools on smartphones and tablets, and the opportunities this mobile healthcare trend provides to marketers. View Summary

This event report from CE (Consumer Electronics) Week covers an address by Martha Wofford of Aetna, the American insurance provider, about how consumers are increasingly using mobile health tools on smartphones and tablets, and the opportunities this mobile healthcare trend provides to marketers. Aetna has built the CarePass, a digital platform letting consumers create a personal profile and identify their bespoke health goals. It then suggests appropriate apps that should assist them in reaching those objectives and gathers data through this to allow people to monitor and visualise their progress. One important consideration is the need to gain trust to overcome consumer caution related to sharing information.

21

Bupa Australia: The Moment

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Cannes Creative Lions, Creative Effectiveness Lions, 2013

This case study describes how Bupa, a private health insurer, communicated a new unified Bupa proposition to Australians, created from the merger of its three separate brands. View Summary

This case study describes how Bupa, a private health insurer, communicated a new unified Bupa proposition to Australians, created from the merger of its three separate brands. At the start of 2011, Bupa did not exist in Australia as a consumer-facing brand, despite its group of three companies accounting for 28% of the market. The campaign needed to prompt awareness among existing members while also growing the base. By positioning the brand as a "Health Partner" that would work with people to be healthier, Bupa offered the audience a chance to "Find a healthier you" through three stages: establishing credentials, discussing the transition and introducing the brand promise. As a result, awareness of Bupa and its connection to the legacy brands grew, as did consideration and actual new members.

22

Delta Dental of Missouri: Good Health Starts Here

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ARF Ogilvy Awards, Gold, Health & Personal Care, 2013

Delta Dental of Missouri, a US dental insurance provider, used a research project to develop its future ad campaigns following the passing of the Affordable Care Act, which disrupted many industry practices. View Summary

Delta Dental of Missouri, a US dental insurance provider, used a research project to develop its future ad campaigns following the passing of the Affordable Care Act, which disrupted many industry practices.

The project found that the company's existing ads were performing strongly, but that concept of "care" was particularly relevant to the target audience; this led to the development of an ad campaign using care as a key driver.

The ads also reinforced the message that good oral health was strongly linked to overall good health.

In terms of media, free giveaways of branded toothbrushes proved particularly effective, while activity was backed with TV, direct mail and social media elements.

Among the standout results of the campaign was a 109% year-on-year increase in individual enrolment.

23

Patient Journey

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Jessica Letizia, ARF - Knowledge at Hand, February 2013

This brief article from the Advertising Research Foundation summarises research on how patients experience a disease or condition from their first awareness of symptoms through all stages until finally culminating in a cure, remission or death. View Summary

This brief article from the Advertising Research Foundation summarises research on how patients experience a disease or condition from their first awareness of symptoms through all stages until finally culminating in a cure, remission or death. Understanding this will allow brands to be able to provide supportive, educational materials at key decision-making stages, and be more effective at every stage of the pharmaceutical marketing strategy. Ways to map the Patient Journey are offered, with the importance of taking a customer-centric, rather than product-centric, approach being emphasised.

Cancer patients at Toronto, Canada's Hospital for Sick Children are required to record their experiences with pain in a "pain diary" - findings from which are then used to improve future treatments. View Summary

Cancer patients at Toronto, Canada's Hospital for Sick Children are required to record their experiences with pain in a "pain diary" - findings from which are then used to improve future treatments. This campaign was for Pain Squad, an app-based evolution from the old paper diaries. Patients were given an iPhone loaded with the Pain Squad app. To improve compliance, the app was structured like a mission, offering those who filled their diary in on consecutive days with digital rewards such as videos starring the casts of Canada’s top police dramas, Flashpoint and Rookie Blue. The results averaged over 91% compliance, well above the target of 80%.

25

Investigating 'globish'

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Gloria Gibbons, WPP Atticus Awards, Merit, 2012

The paper critiques the use of Globish, the 1,500 key words in the English language, developed to help make international business communications more effective. View Summary

The paper critiques the use of Globish, the 1,500 key words in the English language, developed to help make international business communications more effective. While Globish may be useful for basic international brand marketing, it is less effective for creating evocative, meaningful and memorable communication that resonates with the customer. The author fears that using a reduced palette of words and images, particularly in global pharmaceutical marketing, dilutes the brand message. Instead, a brand needs a global community at the centre that always has a 'glocal' point of view in order to continually enrich the cultural creative pool, to best develop the global equity for a brand.